Empyrean's House Flipper launched on 17 May 2018, published by Frozen District and PlayWay, and this is the original rather than the 2023 sequel. It is a first person renovation sim driven by an email inbox: clients write in, you mop, paint, knock down walls and fit radiators, and the money funds buying wrecked properties from the laptop to fix and auction off. House Flipper 2 arrived in December 2023 on a completely new code base and added the town of Pinnacove, an Assembly building mode and a true sandbox, none of which exist in this game. The 2018 original scored 68 on Metacritic for PC and still became a Steam bestseller.
Combat in House Flipper rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works (and how they interact) is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. Email jobs from the laptop
Work arrives as emails on your in game laptop, each one from a named client with a short backstory and a list of demands. The first job in the game is Sara Lewis writing in about an ex-boyfriend who stole her radiator, and jobs like Amanda Smith's Amaranth Walls and Thomas Johnson's Additional Walls follow. Payment scales with how complex the job is and how completely you finish it.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. Six perk trees fed by tool use
Perk points come from doing the work, not from levelling a character. Cleaning, Painting, Demolition, Building, Handyman and Negotiation each fill from the matching activity, and points spent inside a tree make that activity faster or better. Perks such as Instant painting, Triceps of steel and Price negotiations change how long a job takes far more than any gear purchase would.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. Buying and reselling properties
Once you have cash, the laptop lets you buy derelict houses outright. You clean, repair, furnish and then sell them at auction to buyers who each weigh different things, one wanting cleanliness, another wanting family rooms, so the same house sells for different amounts depending on how you finish it. This flipping loop is the closest thing the 2018 game has to a sandbox.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. Tool unlocks gated behind jobs
Tools are not bought, they are earned by finishing specific jobs, and a job has to be completed to at least 70 percent for the unlock to stick and show up on your tool wheel. The mop arrives with the first job, the paint roller and scanner come from Amaranth Walls, wall building and the sledgehammer come from Additional Walls, and the tiling and paneling tool from Eric Camel's Necessary Extra Bathroom fills the last slot.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. The tablet catalogue and item scanner
The tablet is the in game shop for furniture, paint, tiles, doors and windows, and it is where most of a flip's budget disappears. The scanner that arrives with the paint roller lets you sell items already in a property for a partial refund, which is the fastest way to clear a hoarder house and recover some of the purchase price at the same time.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
How These Mechanics Combine
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
Email jobs from the laptop + Six perk trees fed by tool use
Work arrives as emails on your in game laptop, each one from a named client with a short backstory and a list of demands. When combined with Six perk trees fed by tool use, perk points come from doing the work, not from levelling a character. This combination is the core of every effective build.
Buying and reselling properties + Tool unlocks gated behind jobs
Once you have cash, the laptop lets you buy derelict houses outright. Paired with Tool unlocks gated behind jobs, tools are not bought, they are earned by finishing specific jobs, and a job has to be completed to at least 70 percent for the unlock to stick and show up on your tool wheel. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
The tablet catalogue and item scanner as a Multiplier
The tablet is the in game shop for furniture, paint, tiles, doors and windows, and it is where most of a flip's budget disappears. The scanner that arrives with the paint roller lets you sell items already in a property for a partial refund, which is the fastest way to clear a hoarder house and recover some of the purchase price at the same time. This system amplifies everything else. The better your The tablet catalogue and item scanner optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Build
Each build approaches combat differently:
Cleaning (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Mop Primary mechanic: Email jobs from the laptop
Cleaning offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Painting (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Vacuum Cleaner Primary mechanic: Six perk trees fed by tool use
Painting offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Demolition (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Paint Roller Primary mechanic: Buying and reselling properties
Demolition offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Building (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Sledgehammer Primary mechanic: Tool unlocks gated behind jobs
Building offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Handyman (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Balanced combat style. Key equipment: Tiling and Paneling Tool Primary mechanic: The tablet catalogue and item scanner
Handyman offers a solid combat experience. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
- Exploit Email jobs from the laptop for maximum damage windows
- Chain Six perk trees fed by tool use and Buying and reselling properties for combo damage
- Use Tool unlocks gated behind jobs to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- A job has to be completed to at least 70 percent for its tool unlock to become permanent and appear on your tool wheel. Walking away from a job at 60 percent costs you the tool as well as the payment.
- Position using Email jobs from the laptop to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness: Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression: One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation: Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing: Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring Six perk trees fed by tool use: This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong equipment for the situation: Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths: Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting: Trading hits works in Cleaning Jobs but will get you killed in Garden Flipper Plots.
More House Flipper Guides
- House Flipper House Flipper Overview
- House Flipper Best Builds
- House Flipper Tier List
- House Flipper Walkthrough
- House Flipper Beginner's Guide
- House Flipper Tips & Tricks
- House Flipper Weapons Guide
- House Flipper Boss Guide
- House Flipper Maps & Locations
- House Flipper Crafting Guide
- House Flipper Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy House Flipper, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Combat Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Combat Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Combat Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
